Brockville council on Tuesday endorsed a “watered down” version of Coun. Cameron Wales’s motion declaring the city’s intention to consider the environment in its decision-making.

Members of the planning and operations committee last week unanimously adopted a revised version of Wales’s motion.

City officials ran the motion by the city’s solicitor before council voted on a final version Tuesday.

Among the changes, the initial declaration of a “right to a healthy environment” has been changed to a “renewed commitment to a healthy environment.”

Similarly, a clause calling on city hall to “ensure infrastructure and development projects protect the environment” has been changed to “respect the environment.”

And another section calling on the city to “measure progress towards fulfilling this declaration” has been modified to “report on progress,” while a requirement, in that same paragraph, to “consult with residents as part of this process” has been changed to “engage with residents.”

The resolution retains the declaration that residents and visitors “should be able to” breathe clean air, drink clean water, eat safe and healthy food, have access to nature, know about pollution and “participate in decision-making that will affect the environment.”

Climate change is now an “urgent circumstance that can no longer be ignored,” said Bursey.

Coun. Larry Journal, meanwhile, reassured the public that the motion does not commit the city to any extra spending.

Journal added he has received many emails and phone calls about Wales’s motion, none of them urging him to vote against it.

“This goes a long way for us to say to our citizens of Brockville, we are concerned about the environment,” he added.

Coun. Jeff Earle, a skeptic of the earlier resolution, supported this version of it, adding: “Frankly, it’s motherhood and apple pie.”

But Earle said he still has some misgivings about the declaration.

“At some point in time, some of these (commitments) have a dollar sign attached to them,” said Earle.

The veteran councillor returned to a different environmental issue which he sought to bring to the fore earlier this month: The emerald ash borer, which is expected to deplete, severely, the city’s tree population in the coming years.

“If you want to do something about that, you need to spend some money,” said Earle.

“I’m worried about the obligation end of all this.”

Councillors present backed the declaration unanimously. Mayor Jason Baker and Coun. Matt Wren were not at the meeting.